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Open Vs Closed World
When role playing, you may come across the term open or closed groups. It is a very simple concept. Open world role plays are open to the masses, anyone can show up and post in without much restriction. With a closed world, before you can role play, you have to join the group and be approved. A lot of times you will be asked to submit a biography for your character and agree to follow the rules of the role play. When someone creates a closed group role play, you are free to use your character elsewhere, however, what occurs to your character in another role play is not valid within the confines of the closed group. Whether it is open or closed, there are certain advantages and disadvantages that come to role playing in the environment. Open World In an open world, there is far less preparation and commitment. They tend to follow a set style of role play and you come and go as you please. It is a very casual style where those involved can jump right in. The settings and environment are generally more vague than a closed group and universally recognizable to the general public. Inns are commonplace in open worlds because most everyone has some familiarity with the concept of an inn. In an open world, because of the nature of potential role players, they tend to have no plot or a very vague plot. The events that occur are at the whims of those who present themselves. While there will be regulars, also many strangers coming by. This come and go nature tends to shape the role play. One day you can be role playing something and the next day a stranger wanders in and the story drastically shifts based on their actions. Now, this is not ordained by god or any authority and it is quite possible to create a more specific open world with a complex plot and setting. Those things would need to be explained to everyone joining so that they may partake. Because of its nature, an open world tends to be like one of those tv shows that doesn’t pay mind to chronological order. It doesn’t matter what order you watch them in, they are still enjoyable and each episode has its own story with a climax and resolution. You do not need to watch the whole series to enjoy them. When you take part in an open group role play, a scene is acted out based on who has ventured in and what they add to the story and there are no guarantees that those same people will ever be together to continue. The regulars will typically develop their own story lines with each other and they may become a common theme, but it is still very sporadic. Closed World A closed world tends to be a bit more organized and detailed and typically involves more of a commitment. Because members are joining the group and being approved, it is easier to disperse information to those specifically involved. Often times, a closed group will have a wider variety of locations where the characters can travel between them. The creators of the world tend to have a set plot or concept they wish to accomplish in the world they have created. There are set protagonists and antagonists and prolonged conflicts that may take a long time to overcome. Within the closed group, the creators have more freedom with the rules they wish to follow. They can adjust them to their needs or create a completely new set of rules. Because of the extensive work that goes into closed group role plays, a lot of creators wish to protect them which is why they are closed in the first place. Basically, anything that happens outside of the confines of that role play amongst the approved members never happened. An entire army of clowns could breach the defenses and make lovely, well written posts of how they decimated the characters and follow every single rule and it still would not be valid if they are not part of the group. How to Chose It is not uncommon to find squabbles between role players about which method, type or style is better. In fact, if you have been around role players for any length of time you will have likely realized that as creative they are with their role play, they are just as creative with their reasons to bicker. Don’t let that get to you and don’t feel like one way is better than another. Role play is about what you enjoy and what suits your needs. Everyone role plays for a reason and it is important to find a group that helps fulfill your reason. To decide which is better for you, you need to analyze a bit. If you are someone who is busy and can’t consistently follow a role play or contribute and you are just looking for an outlet for your creativity, an open world is perfect for you. If you have a character idea you want to get the feel for and see how they work in a setting, pop into an open world and make a few posts. If you want to step into the life you have created and go on an adventure, struggling and growing as you overcome difficulties, you may be better suited for closed world. The bottom line is to find what suits your needs and to enjoy yourself. Hell, if you wanted to you could create a closed group role play that also has an open group within it. Category:Not T1, But Useful Category:Role Play World Creation